I would buy brand new. My reasoning would be the warranty. If something happens...and Murphy's law says it will, its nice to be able to be backed up. If you buy used off ebay you have no idea what that piece of equipment has been through. It could have been dropped, gotten wet, dusty, etc...My personal opinion is always buy expensive equipment brand new. If your looking to get a Great entry level/semi-professional DSLR I reccoment the T2i (550D) I have this camera and it is incredible. Same sensor as the 7D, same video ability, small compact frame, easy to use. 18MP if you want to make large prints. Cant beat it for the price. I'm also a Canon fan. Some will say Nikon some Canon. it's your preference. Hope this helped a little. good luck to you!
I would just be careful with the cameras on ebay, a lot of them are "gray market" and not covered under warranties. AND they are not really any better priced in my experience. You can get better deals elsewhere. And even if it is more expensive to buy from a camera shop, the warranty is worth it.
If you want to buy used, I'd recommend going through maybe Adorama or B&H because they warranty all of their used stuff they sell, and have a very good return policy. Buying on ebay leaves you with nothing, and you're at the mercy of the people being honest. Another thing to try is Craigslist (if you're in the US), and see if you can meet up with the seller and test drive the equipment before purchasing. I've bought one body (D80), and two lenses used through B&H, and it turns out the 80-200mm f/2.8 lens I bought had hidden impact damage. B&H let me return it, no questions asked. If that would've happened with an Ebay seller, I most likely would've been out of $850 and a lens.
If I were just starting out, i would get a very entry level camera and lens. B&H is where i get my equipment and i've had absolutely no problem. Even their used stuff is warrantied and the return policy is pretty good. You can get a used Nikon D40 with kit lens for $259 US and this is a great starter kit. If you want to spend more, then there is certainly the opportunity. Just remember, the more expensive the camera doesn't mean that your pictures will be better. You can read read Ken Rockwell's article on that at www.kenrockwell.com. He also has a list of cameras that he recommends. You have people that are pro-canon and people that are pro-nikon. Both are great. I prefer Nikon because the controls are laid out so much more intuitively FOR ME. I would recommend going to a camera store and playing around with each camera brand to see what is right for you and what feels best for you. But don't get duped and talked into getting a more expensive camera because the salesperson is telling you that it will miraculously make you take better pictures. Good luck and I look forward to seeing more of your work on here.
If you consider buying a camera off ebay these would be my suggestions:
1. buy from a "store" seller, and not an individual
2. buy new (other sites like B&H might be ok, but I wouldn't chance it on ebay)
3. check for warranty (a huge must unless you like throwing $ in the toilet)
4. Check user ratings and feedback from other buyers
5. research what types you might be interested in and go to a local camera store to play around (try before you buy)
also check around on Amazon they have some good deals as well.
these are all deff things that i have or will take into consideration. My biggest problem is that there are no real camera shops for over 250kms....... so the whole test driving thing is a little difficult. the closest places with a camera are Walmart, Staples, and The Source (all with little to no Selection) and their staff have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. I don know about you but if your going to lay down some Benjamin's you want to feel secure in your decision.....I've checked out B&H a bit and that seems to be the best option.
I have also considered The Future Shop...... but I hate supporting those big box stores (Please don't take offence, after all it is only my personal opinion).
I am really between 3 cameras:
Canon T1i
Nikon D3100
Nikon D5000
Since the Nikon D3100 came out id say I'm leaning more towards it....any one have one or have any experience with it? ( I've had bad experiences buying stuff new to the retail market)
B&H has great refurbished products and they have a great reputation among pros. I'm a Nikon girl, so I would recommend Nikon, but it really is about what you start shooting with and then most stick to that. I would recommend the D90 over the D5000. It's more of a pro camera than consumer and you can buy it for almost the same price.
Good luck in your decision.
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If you want to buy used, I'd recommend going through maybe Adorama or B&H because they warranty all of their used stuff they sell, and have a very good return policy. Buying on ebay leaves you with nothing, and you're at the mercy of the people being honest. Another thing to try is Craigslist (if you're in the US), and see if you can meet up with the seller and test drive the equipment before purchasing. I've bought one body (D80), and two lenses used through B&H, and it turns out the 80-200mm f/2.8 lens I bought had hidden impact damage. B&H let me return it, no questions asked. If that would've happened with an Ebay seller, I most likely would've been out of $850 and a lens.
1. buy from a "store" seller, and not an individual
2. buy new (other sites like B&H might be ok, but I wouldn't chance it on ebay)
3. check for warranty (a huge must unless you like throwing $ in the toilet)
4. Check user ratings and feedback from other buyers
5. research what types you might be interested in and go to a local camera store to play around (try before you buy)
also check around on Amazon they have some good deals as well.
I have also considered The Future Shop...... but I hate supporting those big box stores (Please don't take offence, after all it is only my personal opinion).
I am really between 3 cameras:
Canon T1i
Nikon D3100
Nikon D5000
Since the Nikon D3100 came out id say I'm leaning more towards it....any one have one or have any experience with it? ( I've had bad experiences buying stuff new to the retail market)
Thank's again for all your input everyone!
Cheers
Charley
Good luck in your decision.